Match-box.



PATENTED APR, 7, 1903.,

No. 724,823. v

' R. I. DEIHL.

MATCH BOX.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 23 1902.

N0 MODEL,

I Wmmm 7 I .l

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH IRVING DEIHL, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

MATCH-BOX.

$PECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 724,823, dated April 7, 1903. 7 Application filed April 28, 1902. Serial No. 104.375. No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RALPH IRVING DEIHL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Match-Boxes, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to match-boxes of that class adapted to be carried in the pocket; and the objects in view are to provide a simple and effective'device of this class having an opening for the presentation or exposure of a portion of a match for convenience in removal of the same without neoessitatingopen ing of a lid or cover, to provide a box from which matches can be removed as required without danger of igniting the head of the match and also to permit the removal of a single match at a time without liability of spilling the remaining matches from the box, and to provide a box which can be operated in the dark and which will permit the removal of a match with wet or damp fingers without danger of moistening the head of the same and also from whicha match can be taken with a gloved hand with ease and ra pidity.

With these and other objects and advantages in View the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more :fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a match-box embodying the features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section thereof, showing the manner of feeding the matches toward the outlet.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates a body which may have anysuitable dimensions and capacity and in the present instance is shown as rectangular or substantially rectangular in form. This body has a closed top 2, partially extending thereacross, a closed bottom 3, and closed ends 4 and rear side 5. The

upper front portion of the body is cut away at a downward angle of inclination toward the bottom, as at 6, and the central portion of the bottom adjacent to said cut-away front side is formed with a concave recess 7. A closure 8 is hinged at its upper rear terminal to the front edge of the top 2 and is normally held closed bya flat spring 9, secured to said top and having its free end bearing upon the central portion ofthe closure. The closure 8 is approximately triangular in shape and has a central clearance-cavity 10 to expose the individual matches and permit the insertion of the fingers to grasp the exposed match, this op- .eration being facilitated by the provision of the concave recess 7 in the bottom 3, said recess being located adjacent to the cavity. The inner wall 11 of the closure 8 is inclined at an angle corresponding to the downward inclination of the front cutaway portion of the body andcloses snugly against the latter. The central front portion of the wall 11 is also formed with a concave recess 12, merging into the lower portion of the cavity 10 or forming a part of the latter, and located adjacent to the recess 7 to assist in withdrawing the match successively exposed at the front of the box.

The body 1 is filled with matches by forcefully throwing the closure 8 rearwardly and clearing the front of thesaidbody. After a sufficient number of matches have been disposed in the body the closure is permitted to assume its normal position, and when it is desired to withdraw a match the box is held in the position shown by Fig. 3 to permit the matches to gravitate toward the outlet therefor. In view of the inclination of the wall 11 of the closure 8 the matches will be directed toward the outlet, and in view of the close arrangement of the free portion of the said wall adjacent the bottom only one match will be permitted to move into an exposed position for withdrawal, and all the matches'in rear of this single match will be frictionally held by the spring-pressed closure against movement until the outer match is fully withdrawn and another will take its place. The outer match is withdrawn by grasping the same and pulling it directly outward from under the closure without liability of ignition. t

The box is intended to be constructed of suitable sheet metal ornamented in any manner desired, and will serve as a very conven ient pocket device for holding matches.

Changes in the form, size, proportions, and intersection thereof with the lower portion of minor details may be made without depart the wall of the recess being recessed or cut ing from the principle of the invention. away and extending inwardly back of the IS Having thus fully described the invention, adjacent front edge of the body of the box 5 what is claimed as new is- I which is also formed with a concave recess.

In a. match-box the combination with a body In testimony whereof I afifix my signature comprising fully-closed sides except at the in presence of two witnesses. front where it is cut away at a downward angle of inclination, of a spring-pressed sub-l RALPH IRVING DEIHL' 1o stantially triangular closure having an inner downwardly-inclined wall 11 and a central concave recess 12, the wall 11 at the point of Witnesses:

FRANK E. DEIHL, GEo. A. DEIHL. 

